Mr Putin congratulated Mr Roh on South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki-Moon being named the next Secretary General of the United Nations. Mr Roh thanked Mr Putin for Russia’s consistent support for Mr Ban’s candidacy.
The two Presidents said they hoped that the Russian Prime Minister’s visit to Seoul, which begins tomorrow, would help to further expand the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.
The two Presidents also discussed developments in the situation in Northeast Asia following the nuclear test carried out by North Korea. Both sides stressed the need for coordinated efforts by the international community to stabilise the situation and noted that the recently adopted UN Security Council resolution provides a basis for resolving the situation by peaceful political means with all sides carrying out a balanced policy.